Method and System for Optimizing Backup and Backup Discovery Operations Using Change Based Metadata Tracking (cbmt)

1. A method for asset backup optimization, comprising: receiving, from a client device manager, a first backup operation request comprising a service name associated with a service; performing, in response to the first backup operation request, a backup operation targeting a first asset mapped to the service name to obtain backup operation metadata; making a first determination that the backup operation does not represent a first backup operation directed to the service; identifying, based on the first determination, an asset metadata delta between a first current asset metadata and a first previous asset metadata object associated with the service; updating a first backup metadata object associated with the service using the backup operation metadata and the asset metadata delta to obtain a second backup metadata object for the service; and overwriting the first previous asset metadata object using the first current asset metadata to obtain a second previous asset metadata object for the service.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the backup operation further targets a second asset mapped to the service name to obtain the backup operation metadata.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first current asset metadata comprises state and configuration information describing the first asset at an outset of the backup operation.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first previous asset metadata object comprises state and configuration information describing the first asset at an outset of a previously performed backup operation directed to the service.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: prior to identifying the asset metadata delta: making a second determination that the first current asset metadata mismatches the first previous asset metadata object.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: prior to receiving the first backup operation request: receiving, from the client device manager, a second backup operation request comprising the service name associated with the service; performing, in response to the second backup operation request, another backup operation targeting the first asset mapped to the service name to obtain other backup operation metadata; making a second determination that the other backup operation represents the first backup operation directed to the service; and initializing, based on the second determination, the first previous asset metadata object using a second current asset metadata, and the first backup metadata object using the second current asset metadata and the other backup operation metadata.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the second current asset metadata comprises state and configuration information describing the first asset at an outset of the other backup operation.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the second backup metadata object comprises the second current asset metadata and the asset metadata delta.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second backup metadata object further comprises the other backup operation metadata and the backup operation metadata.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: receiving, from the client device manager, a backup discovery request comprising the service name associated with the service; identifying, by mapping the service name to, the second backup metadata object; and issuing, in response to the backup discovery request and to the client device manager, a backup discovery reply comprising the second backup metadata object.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: receiving, from the client device manager, a second backup operation request comprising the service name associated with the service; performing, in response to the second backup operation request, another backup operation targeting the first asset mapped to the service name to obtain other backup operation metadata; making a second determination that the second backup operation does not represent the first backup operation directed to the service; and updating the second backup metadata object associated with the service using the other backup operation metadata to obtain a third backup metadata object for the service.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising: prior to updating the second backup metadata object: making a third determination that a second current asset metadata matches the second previous asset metadata object for the service.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the second current asset metadata comprises state and configuration information describing the first asset at an outset of the second backup operation.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium (CRM) comprising computer readable program code, which when executed by a computer processor, enables the computer processor to: receive, from a client device manager, a first backup operation request comprising a service name associated with a service; perform, in response to the first backup operation request, a backup operation targeting a first asset mapped to the service name to obtain backup operation metadata; make a first determination that the backup operation does not represent a first backup operation directed to the service; identify, based on the first determination, an asset metadata delta between a first current asset metadata and a first previous asset metadata object associated with the service; update a first backup metadata object associated with the service using the backup operation metadata and the asset metadata delta to obtain a second backup metadata object for the service; and overwrite the first previous asset metadata object using the first current asset metadata to obtain a second previous asset metadata object for the service.

15. The non-transitory CRM of claim 14 , wherein the first current asset metadata comprises state and configuration information describing the first asset at an outset of the backup operation.

16. The non-transitory CRM of claim 14 , wherein the first previous asset metadata object comprises state and configuration information describing the first asset at an outset of a previously performed backup operation directed to the service.

17. The non-transitory CRM of claim 14 , comprising computer readable program code, which when executed by the computer processor, further enables the computer processor to: prior to receiving the first backup operation request: receive, from the client device manager, a second backup operation request comprising the service name associated with the service; perform, in response to the second backup operation request, another backup operation targeting the first asset mapped to the service name to obtain other backup operation metadata; make a second determination that the other backup operation represents the first backup operation directed to the service; and initialize, based on the second determination, the first previous asset metadata object using a second current asset metadata, and the first backup metadata object using the second current asset metadata and the other backup operation metadata.

18. The non-transitory CRM of claim 17 , wherein the second backup metadata object comprises the second current asset metadata and the asset metadata delta.

19. The non-transitory CRM of claim 17 , wherein the second backup metadata object further comprises the other backup operation metadata and the backup operation metadata.

20. A client device, comprising: a computer processor and a client storage array storing an asset; a service executing on the computer processor and operatively connected to the asset; and a protection agent executing on the computer processor and maintaining at least a previous asset metadata object and a backup metadata object for the service, wherein the protection agent is programmed to: receive a backup operation request comprising a service name associated with the service; perform, in response to the backup operation request, a backup operation targeting the asset mapped to the service name to obtain backup operation metadata; make a determination that the backup operation does not represent a first backup operation directed to the service; identify, based on the determination, an asset metadata delta between a current asset metadata and the previous asset metadata object; update the backup metadata object using the backup operation metadata and the asset metadata delta; and overwrite the previous asset metadata object using the current asset metadata to obtain a new previous asset metadata object for the service.